Gezi protester died from tear gas canister, says forensic report

ISTANBUL

DHA Photo

A forensic medicine report confirmed that 22-year-old Abdullah Cömert, who died during protests in the southern province of Antakya on June 3, was killed by a tear gas canister that hit his head, daily Radikal reported on Oct. 5.

Forensic Medicine’s first specialization department completed its report on the death of Cömert during a police intervention into the protests in the city as part of the support to the demonstrations dubbed the Gezi Park protests, as it was started in the iconic Taksim Square against a construction plan.
“Cömert’s death was caused by brain trauma and skull injuries caused by a tear-gas canister hit to the head,” said the forensic report.

The report also cited the witness Sedat Şener, saying that he saw Cömert was wounded by a tear gas canister. Meanwhile, the gendarmerie’s report concerning the issue revealed that the police officers were interrogated as witnesses rather than as suspects.

Two police officers, Hacı Ali Demir and Ahmet Kuş, who gave their testimonies as witnesses, said that they did not shoot tear gas at an angle below 45 degrees.

Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said the forensic report showed that, “a highly sensitive investigation is ongoing on the issue,” Anadolu Agency reported on Oct. 5.

Zafer Cömert, brother of Abdullah Cömert, however, said they would file a complaint against the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the grounds that he had previously said that he was the one who ordered the police intervention into the protests.